Is The HIA Plan Worth The Cost

[Sea42]

33 minutes ago, bdd123 said:

I also have not seen HIA on Navigator or Web, just confirmation on purchase.

The website will show if you have credit from HIA for dining, excursions and crew appreciation on the same pages where you can pre-purchase those items.

[washiotter]

On 1/11/2023 at 7:16 PM, mcrcruiser said:

We do not ever get the HIA plan  because we do not thing it is  worth the money . We are not   drinkers .The lemon aid & ice tea & coffee  suits us just fine & we gladly pay our gratuities  as billed . so why do you but that HIA plan ?

Haven't you already said that you're not going to sail HAL again? It hardly seems like it would matter, if you're not.

 

We've got HIA for our upcoming 10 day Baltic cruise on NS, for $500/person with crew appreciation and $75 OBC included. Running the numbers made it an obvious choice:

 

155pp crew appreciation

200pp shore excursion

75pp internet (not optional for us because we have teenagers 😉  )

75pp OBC

 

...That's already $505pp before we have a single drink or specialty dining meal, so it's the equivalent of getting our drinks and our meal upgrades for free. 

 

[teeeej]

Heck, I just booked one solo and even to me this seemed like a good deal, but if I was bringing someone, it would be even more of a no brainer.

 

The main reason I chose this is because the deposit is significantly lower with more time for me to decide if I will change my mind, but this is the math:

 

HIA Fare for 11 day Mexico on Zaandam, H category cabin. $2124

Fare without the HIA: $1321. 

 

Net difference in fare: $803.

 

HIA Includes:

$300 OBC

$200 Shore excursion credit

1 dinner at Pinnacle

1 dinner at Canaletto

Wifi.

 

Now, the No HIA option did include a $100 OBC, so the credits + wifi unfortunately don't break even completely on their own, but it's like a $100 difference...but shoot, if they have trouble selling the cabins late summer / early fall, right before the rest of the fare becomes due, and prices do drop considerably, and it doesn't seem like as good a deal, I can just cancel the HIA and book the regular option or whatever different promo they have at the time.

 

Would I choose to pay for all of this stuff if it wasn't included? Absolutely not, but I guess that is good marketing, I guess I'm okay with it because I know I will have a better experience knowing that I have all this money to spend vs just being my natural frugal self.

[oakridger]

50 minutes ago, teeeej said:

HIA Includes:

$300 OBC

$200 Shore excursion credit

1 dinner at Pinnacle

1 dinner at Canaletto

Wifi.

 

HIA also includes the Signature Beverage Package.  Doesn't yours? 

SBP costs $53.04/day X 11 = $583.44  

 

It's a deal!

 

~Nancy

[teeeej]

1 minute ago, oakridger said:

 

HIA also includes the Signature Beverage Package.  Doesn't yours? 

SBP costs $53.04/day X 11 = $583.44  

 

It's a deal!

 

~Nancy

 

It sure does.. It also includes a "11-Day Dining Hia Promo", though I have no idea what that is.

[oakridger]

3 minutes ago, teeeej said:

 

It sure does.. It also includes a "11-Day Dining Hia Promo", though I have no idea what that is.

 

That's your two specialty dinners.

[teeeej]

11 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

That's your two specialty dinners.

Oh ok, they listed those out separately in addition to that line item, so I wasn't sure. 

[firsttimer1971]

1 hour ago, teeeej said:

Oh ok, they listed those out separately in addition to that line item, so I wasn't sure. 

 

I believe the "11-Day Dining Hia Promo" is just HAL's way of saying that the food in the MDR and Lido are included. They started listing that separately last year. As you said, the specialty dinners are listed separately. 

 

Our cruise in 2023 listed only the included specialty dinners, our upcoming cruise in 2025 lists both the specialty dinner and a "7 day Dining HIA Promo" as it is a 7 day cruise.

 

 

[highscar]

Drinks up to $11.00.  Recently on the Koninsdam only one drink under that price on the BBK menu.    

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, highscar said:

Drinks up to $11.00.  Recently on the Koninsdam only one drink under that price on the BBK menu.    

But there are many other drinks available at BBK than what's on that menu. From what I remember, those were just specialty drinks for that lounge. All of the regular drinks are also available, many under $11.

[highscar]

@C4 Yourself didn’t know that.  

[highscar]

Whoops wrong name.  

[Sea42]

3 minutes ago, highscar said:

Whoops wrong name.  

No problem!

 

[albingirl]

This posting made me laugh. I wish someone would come on and admit they just like to get loaded lol.

[RedIguana]

27 minutes ago, albingirl said:

This posting made me laugh. I wish someone would come on and admit they just like to get loaded lol.

As I am still a working stiff, my adult beverage consumption is fairly non-existent on work nights, or max of 2 beers or glasses of wine. Saturday night is usually date night with the wife, in which I also limit myself to no more than 2 adult beverages, as I have no desire for a DUI. One of my favorite things about cruising is that I can imbibe to my hearts desire and not be the one getting the ticket for blowing 1.2 while driving a cruise ship. Does that count as admitting I like to get loaded?

😇

[albingirl]

56 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

As I am still a working stiff, my adult beverage consumption is fairly non-existent on work nights, or max of 2 beers or glasses of wine. Saturday night is usually date night with the wife, in which I also limit myself to no more than 2 adult beverages, as I have no desire for a DUI. One of my favorite things about cruising is that I can imbibe to my hearts desire and not be the one getting the ticket for blowing 1.2 while driving a cruise ship. Does that count as admitting I like to get loaded?

😇

Nah. I was just kidding. But, I  admit that  I love the ones who do a self check here and tell us all how many drinks they consume in a day with the drink package. I  would be in jail if I  drank like that at home haha.

[mcrcruiser]

For us we could take 2 bottles of wine we like on board & pay the corkage .If we do take 2 bottles of wine we only drink one glass each at dinner .so the 2 bottles will last us . total cost $50 for corkage charges  . We certainly can understand people who enjoy pre dinner cockails plus wine at dinner & even a after dinner drink . It is just when you get in your mid 80s like us ,the appeal isn;t there .Besides meds do not work with  liquor 

[mcrcruiser]

14 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Nah. I was just kidding. But, I  admit that  I love the ones who do a self check here and tell us all how many drinks they consume in a day with the drink package. I  would be in jail if I  drank like that at home haha.

Besides  any ones liver & kidneys would be hard pressed to filter all that booze 

[sambamama]

I think it depends on your drink consumption and if you will actually use the shore excursion credit.  For me, it doesn't.  At most, I have 4 drinks a day.  I usually have 2, but I am fine having none at all.  And I almost never go on a HAL excursion.  They don't do what I want to do, or they are too big, and too short, and too high in cost.  I am traveling as a solo, so I am already paying 200%.  It's probably a moot point as at with a 100% solo supplement, I won't be cruising HAL anymore-it's not worth it.  I get much more value from land travel. 

[cruisemom42]

4 hours ago, albingirl said:

I  would be in jail if I  drank like that at home haha.

 

....but we are on a cruise ship on a vacation, not at home. Is there something wrong with celebrating that and living it up a little? Not talking about a bender here. (And only the captain is driving, so no one's going to jail.

 

There's really no need for all the hullabaloo and sly morality digs on this thread. We should be happy that HAL offers the option for those who want it, and doesn't force everyone to buy it, like some lines do.

 

 

Edited February 24 by cruisemom42

[albingirl]

32 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

....but we are on a cruise ship on a vacation, not at home. Is there something wrong with celebrating that and living it up a little? Not talking about a bender here. (And only the captain is driving, so no one's going to jail.

 

There's really no need for all the hullabaloo and sly morality digs on this thread. We should be happy that HAL offers the option for those who want it, and doesn't force everyone to buy it, like some lines do.

 

 

We are very happy for the option. There is no sly morality intended....I  think people should let it rip. And be happy about it all. I  know I am.

[FlorenceItaly]

It's all about the math.  Keep in mind the HIA adds to the insurance cost.  Lately, we are booking bare bones.  We are 4 star and receive 1/2 off wine packages, and specialty dining.  We are satisfied with our cell phone internet in port.  Also, we typically are cruising on a casino offer that gives us complimentary cocktails in casino.  Plus, we participate in happy hour and sometimes order a few bottles for cabin.  Again, it's all about the math.  We have three cruises coming up.  On 2 of the 3, bare bones.

[FlaMariner]

38 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

It's all about the math. 

 

Agree.  The math has to work out along with what you value......Including benefits we would never buy, want or need makes the package not work for us.

 

I always take a look at HIA before a cruise but can never make the math work for us.....primarily because most of the items in the HIA package have no value for us.

 

Specialty Restaurants:  We've "been there, done that" w/the surcharge restaurants and we are perfectly content enjoying the MDR every evening. 

Excursions:  HAL excursions are over priced and too crowded for us.  We prefer small group tours we find independently or (based on the port) plan our own DIY day. 

WiFi:  We have no need for the internet when we are on the ship.

Drinks:  We enjoy that!  But w/our 4*s, we enjoy the Sommelier Wine Packages at 1/2 price...and we have been known to enjoy Happy Hour also. 

 

I'm glad we have choices....and everyone needs to do their own math/value formula.

 

For us, HIA would be a waste of $$$$......We don't want to "Have It All" to enjoy our cruise. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24 by FlaMariner

[YourWorldWithBill]

Although we don't drink much, any way that I've looked at the HIA it's a close call. Many said they don't need wifi; we don't "need" it, but it's nice to have it at whatever time we want to use it conveniently. We're on a cruise and don't want to worry about not having it. When gratuities are included, it's definitely an easy choice.

But the bottom line has often been what some others have said: once we've booked, we don't have to (or want to) think about it.

[teeeej]

6 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

Although we don't drink much, any way that I've looked at the HIA it's a close call. Many said they don't need wifi; we don't "need" it, but it's nice to have it at whatever time we want to use it conveniently. We're on a cruise and don't want to worry about not having it. When gratuities are included, it's definitely an easy choice.

But the bottom line has often been what some others have said: once we've booked, we don't have to (or want to) think about it.

Why does it matter if gratuities are specifically included vs them just offering OBC ? Can't the OBC be used towards the gratuities?